1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sun visors for vehicles, the sun visors of the type which include an outer covering which folds unto itself. In particular, the present invention relates to the manner in which the folded halves of such outer coverings are attached to one another during assembly of the sun visor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior sun visor design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,467, issued on Oct. 16, 2001, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The sun visor disclosed in the ""315 application generally includes an outer upholstery cover and a foundation, in which the foundation folds unto itself and is covered by the outer upholstery cover. A pair of bead member sections, each having a bulbous bead portion therearound which corresponds to the edge of the sun visor, are attached to the foundation, and edges of the upholstery cover are tucked into the interior of the sun visor and secured thereto with adhesive. Finally, adhesive is applied around the interior edges of the foundation, and the foundation is folded unto itself to define two foundation halves which are secured to one another by the adhesive to complete the assembly of the sun visor, with the bulbous head portions of the bead member sections together defining a rounded edge around the periphery of the sun visor.
The foregoing sun visor may be manufactured using an automated process including several individual assembly steps. In one such step, the bead member sections are attached to the foundation such that stakes projecting from the bead member sections protrude through receiving holes in the foundation. The stakes are then heat fused, such that the heads of the stakes deform and flatten to secure the bead member sections to the foundation. The upholstery cover is then attached to the foundation such that peripheral edges of the upholstery cover fold around the edges of the foundation and are secured to the foundation by adhesive.
Next, the sun visor is securely held in a predefined, exact position by a clamping apparatus as an automatic adhesive application head follows a predetermined, computer-controlled path to apply a beading of liquid adhesive around the edges of the foundation. Thereafter, the foundation is folded unto itself in a folding jig which subsequently holds the foundation halves together under pressure for a predetermined amount of time to allow the adhesive to set to complete the assembly of the sun visor.
Although the above-described sun visor design has proven successful, manufacturing the sun visor requires many individual assembly steps, as described above, with each step requiring expensive and complex machinery. The adhesive itself, which is used to secure the sun visor components together, is also rather expensive. In addition, the difficulty of re-tooling the automated process to manufacture different visor designs increases with the complexity and number of automated assembly steps.
What is needed it a sun visor which is both easier and less expensive to manufacture than the above-described sun visor, yet which provides a secure and durable connection between the foundation halves of the sun visor.
The present invention provides a sun visor, the sun visor generally including a foundation which may be folded unto itself to form two foundation halves, and an upholstery cover disposed over the foundation, where the foundation halves include connecting elements which engage one another to secure the foundation halves together. A frame member may be disposed between the folded foundation halves, the frame member including connecting elements which engage corresponding connecting elements of the foundation halves to secure the foundation halves to the frame member.
The connecting elements may be, for example, a plurality of clips associated with each foundation half, such that when the foundation halves are pressed together, corresponding clips engage one another to secure the foundation halves together with a snap lock connection. The clips may be disposed and retained within apertures in the foundation halves. Optionally, the foundation halves may include recesses in the external surfaces thereof around each aperture, the recesses receiving the heads of the clips such that the external surfaces of the foundation halves are substantially flush with the heads of the clips to allow the upholstery cover to uniformly cover the foundation halves and hide the clips from view.
The connecting elements may include a pair of connecting strips which are respectively associated with the foundation halves and include a plurality of clips formed therewith, with the clips of the pair of connecting strips engaging one another when the foundation halves are pressed together to secure the foundation halves together. Rather than clips, the connecting strips may optionally include a plurality of engaging rachet legs, or a plurality of posts formed with one connecting strip which engage a corresponding plurality of locking fingers of another connecting strip.
Additionally, a frame member may be disposed between the foundation halves, the frame member including a plurality of apertures therein through which the clips extend to engage one another to secure the foundation halves together, with the frame member sandwiched between the foundation halves. Alternatively, the frame member may include a plurality of clip receptacles alternatingly disposed in opposite sides thereof, with the clips of the foundation halves engaging the clip receptacles to secure the foundation halves to the frame member. The frame member may optionally include a rounded beading disposed externally of the foundation halves and the upholstery cover, the rounded beading forming an edge portion of the sun visor.
In addition to interlocking clips, the present invention provides interlocking systems to secure the foundation halves of the sun visor together. For example, the sun visor may include a frame member having a plurality of slots on opposite sides of the frame member, the foundation halves including a plurality of integrally formed tabs which are received within the slots of the frame member to lock the foundation halves to opposite sides of frame member. Alternatively, the frame member may include a plurality of T-shaped tabs extending from opposite sides thereof, and the foundation halves may include a plurality of recessed cavities formed therein which include slots, the T-shaped tabs slidingly received within the slots to secure the foundation halves to opposite sides of the frame member.
Additionally, adhesive strips may be used to secure the foundation halves of the sun visor together, the adhesive strips having exposed adhesive on opposite sides thereof. The adhesive strips may be sandwiched between the foundation halves to directly secure the foundation halves together, or may be sandwiched between each foundation half and a frame member to secure the foundation halves to the frame member.
Advantageously, the various interlocking connections between the foundation halves, or between the foundation halves and the frame member, obviate the use of expensive adhesive to secure the foundation halves together, thereby reducing the cost and difficulty of manufacturing the sun visor. Also, the interlocking foundation halves of the sun visor may be secured to one another in a single step, thereby eliminating several of the above-described assembly steps associated with heat staking, adhesive application, and holding the folded foundation halves together under pressure to allow the adhesive to cure. The sun visor of the present invention may therefore be assembled using an automated manufacturing process which is less complex and expensive than the prior process.
Similarly, the adhesive strips also reduce the cost and difficulty of manufacturing the sun visor by obviating the use of a liquid adhesive which must be mechanically applied, after which the sun visor is held under pressure for the adhesive to set.
In one form thereof, a sun visor is provided, including a substantially flat foundation folded unto itself to form two foundation halves, the halves having corresponding shapes that define an edge of the sun visor; a cover disposed over the foundation and forming an exterior surface of the sun visor; and at least one connecting element associated with each foundation half, corresponding connecting elements of the two foundation halves engaging one another to secure the foundation halves together.
In another form thereof, a sun visor is provided, including a substantially flat foundation folded unto itself to form two foundation halves, the halves having corresponding shapes that define an edge of the sun visor; a cover disposed over the foundation and forming an exterior surface of the sun visor; a frame member disposed intermediate the foundation halves, the frame member including a rounded bead member disposed along the edge of said sun visor externally of the foundation and the upholstery cover; at least one first connecting element associated with each foundation half; and at least two second connecting elements associated with the frame member, the first connecting elements respectively engaging the second connecting elements to secure the foundation halves to the frame member.